1. Field
Various features pertain to improving sound reception by utilizing multiple microphones to capture a signal and maximize the signal-to-noise ratio.
2. Background
Mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, digital recorders, communication devices, etc.) are often used in different ways by different users. Such usage diversity could significantly affect the performance of voice reception by the mobile devices. The way that a mobile device is used varies from user to user and from time to time for the same user. Users have different communication needs, preferences for functionality, and habits of use that may result in a mobile device being used or held in different positions during operation. For example, one user may like to place the device up-side-down while using it to speak in speakerphone mode. In such cases, there may be no line-of-sight (LOS) between a microphone for the mobile device and the user, which may affect voice signal reception. In another example, a mobile device may be placed or positioned such that the reception of a desired voice signal by the microphone is blocked or hindered. In yet another example, a mobile device may be used by multiple users. In such cases, voice signal from individual users may be best captured by different microphones. For example, a first microphone may receive a first acoustic signal from a first user the best while a second microphone may receive a second acoustic signal from a second user the best.
The different ways in which users may use a mobile device often affects the reception of desired the sound or voice signals by a microphone for the mobile device, resulting in sound or voice quality degradation (e.g., decrease in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)). In voice communications, especially mobile voice communications, voice or sound quality is a criterion for quality of service (QoS). The way a mobile device is used is one of many factors that may potentially affect QoS.
Consequently, a solution is needed that improves voice or sound reception at mobile devices despite the different ways in which users may position or orient the mobile devices.